By winning the Second Prize in 68th ARD International Music Competition in Munich, 23-year-old Korean-born clarinetist Han Kim has been recognised around the world as one of the most promising clarinetists in his generation. Alongside the Henle-Urtext Prize, his performance of Elliott Carter’s Clarinet Concerto with Münchner Rundfunkorchester in the final round has impressed all the jury members and captivated the audience, which led him to be awarded the Audience Prize in addition. 

Born in 1996, Han Kim began playing the clarinet at the age of 10, and has already been recognised around the world as the most promising clarinet prodigy for his wondrous and mature playing, since his video clips of first recital were shared through Youtube and captivated world-wide audiences over 5 million times. 

Han has appeared many times as a soloist with a number of orchestra such as Münchner Kammerorchester, Orchestre de la Normandie, KBS symphony orchestra and Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra since his debut on year 2009 at the age of 13, playing Mozart clarinet concerto with Euro-Asian orchestra in Seoul and has collaborated chamber music performances with many of world’s finest musicians including Arto Noras, Sabine and Wolfgang Meyer, Daniel Müller-Schott, Igor Levit, Shanghai String Quartet, Bennewitz Quartet and recent engagements include the world premiere performances of Jeajoon Ryu’s clarinet sonata, clarinet quintet, and Fuminori Tanada’s Clarinet concerto. 

Since he launched his international career by recital at the 2008 international clarinet festival in Japan at the age of 12, he was among the distinguished artists invited to perform numerous music festivals, such as City of London festival, Heidelberger Frühling music festival, Musikalischer Sommer in Ostfriesland, Ikoma music festival and Asian clarinet festival. He often gets invited as a guest principal clarinet player in numerous orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre National de France.

Han Kim is the 1st prize winner of the 3rd Jacques Lancelot International Clarinet Competition in 2016 by unanimous decision, as well as receiving the audience prize and the prize for the commissioned work. He also received numerous awards including the Jury’s special prize of the 2nd Beijing International Music Competition on 2009. He is the youngest member of Kumho Asiana Soloists and a founding member of Veits quintet, the 2nd Prizewinner of the 1st Carl Nielsen international chamber music competition.

He graduated Eton College in U.K and Guildhall school of Music and Drama on a scholarship with Andrew Webster. Currently he studies with Sabine Meyer at Musikhochschule Lübeck and is 2nd Solo Clarinettist of Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

 

Education 

• Eton College
• Guildhall School of Music and Drama
• Musikhochschule Lübeck

Awards

• 2nd Prize, Audience Prize and Henle-Urtext Prize of ARD Competition 2019
• 1st Prize, Audience Prize and SACEM Prize of Jacques Lancelot International Competition 2016
• 2nd Prize of Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition 2015 (Veits Quintet)
• Jury’s Special Prize of Beijing International Music Competition 2009